HTTP Redirects: 301 vs 302 vs 307 vs 308
HTTP Redirects: 301 vs 302 vs 307 vs 308
The four redirect status codes, when to use each, and how each affects rankings and passed link equity.
A guide to HTTP redirects for SEO — when to use 301 permanent, 302 temporary, 307, and 308, and how they affect rankings — LemRank.
Frequently asked questions
Do 301 redirects still lose PageRank?
No — Google confirmed in 2016 that 301, 302, and 307 all pass full PageRank. The old "15% loss" rule is deprecated.
What is a redirect chain?
URL A redirects to B, which redirects to C. Every hop adds latency and (historically) some signal loss. Best practice: always redirect directly to the final destination.
Should I use 302 for maintenance pages?
Yes — 302 tells search engines "this is temporary, don't replace the original URL in your index". Use 503 for actual downtime if possible.